Aims: We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of drug-coated balloon therapy for in-stent restenosis after coronary bifurcation stenting.
Methods and results: Patients who underwent angioplasty with at least one paclitaxel-coated balloon for in-stent restenosis after bifurcation intervention using a two-stent approach were included. Two types of paclitaxel-coated balloon were used, with either an iopromide (iopromide-PCB) or a butyryl tri-n-hexyl citrate (BTHC-PCB) excipient. Angiographic surveillance was planned at six to eight months. Quantitative coronary angiography analysis was carried out with dedicated bifurcation analysis software. Clinical follow-up was performed to one year. In total, 177 patients were included in this study. Information on the type of stent technique used at the time of the index intervention was available for 145 (81.9%) patients: the culotte technique was used in 123 (69.5%) and T-stenting in 22 (12.4%) patients. Iopromide-PCB and BTHC-PCB were used in 124 (70%) and 53 (30%) patients, respectively. Of 125 patients who underwent angiographic follow-up, 30 cases (24%) of binary restenosis were observed. At one year, the composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction or target lesion revascularisation was observed in 35 patients (24%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of angiographic and clinical outcomes between iopromide-PCB versus BTHC-PCB.
Conclusions: In the setting of in-stent restenosis after coronary bifurcation stenting, drug-coated balloons demonstrated good clinical efficacy without the requirement for further stent implantation. There were similar outcomes between iopromide-PCB and BTHC-PCB.